Improvement in hand-trucks



0. A. HARPER Hand-Truck.

Patented Sept. 17, I878.

MQTMP' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

CHARLES A. HARPER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO THIRDSHIS RIGHT TO JOHN W. RUSSELL AND F. A. POTTER.

IMPROVEMENT I'N HAND-TRUCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,172, datedSeptember 17, 1878; application filed August 9, 1878. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GnARLns A. HARPER, of Jersey City, in the county ofHudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Carriers and form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of the package-carrier, showing the wheelupon which the parts rest, the frame-work, the handles for moving andguiding the device, the basket or package receptacle, and a sliding barprovided with feet, upon which the rear end rests when not in use 5 andFig. 2 is a sectional elevation, showing the wheel, the frame-work, thebasket or package receptacle, springs upon which it rests, and thesliding bar.

Corresponding letters denote like parts in both of the figures.

This invention has reference to a device for conveniently transportingmarket-baskets, valises, or packages of any description; and it consistsin providing for such purposes a carrier, furnished with one or morewheels, upon which the structure rests and is moved, and a box or otherreceptacle for baskets or packages, and in the combination andarrangement of certain of the parts of which the device is composed, aswill be more fully explained hereinafter.

The inconvenience of carrying market-baskets and other large and heavypackages in the hands or on the arms is well understood; and the objectof this invention is to provide a carrier for such packages that shallto a great extent remedy the defects of the present system, one thatshall be cheap in construction, effective in operation, and that shalloccupy but little space upon a sidewalk, street, or other place.

For the purpose of providing a device havin g the above-recitedadvantages, I form a frame-work,A, consisting of two or more posts,

joined together at their upper ends, and made of such length as to causehandles A, attached to said frame-work, to be at the proper dis tancefrom the ground to render them convenient for use in moving and guidingthe structure. To the lower ends of the posts of frame A there isattached a longitudinal bar, A",

which is slotted at its center, in order that a portion of a wheel, A*,may pass through it.

The rear end of this bar is also provided with and down, according tothe position in which it is desired to retain the carrier.

In order that the structure may be retained in a convenient positionwhen not in use, there are attached to the lower end of the sliding barfeet B B, which, when the carrier is at rest, will allow it to assumethe position shown in Fig. 2, and when in use the one shown in Fig. 1. I

To prevent the bar B from falling out of the bars A A when the carrieris lifted for any purpose, and also to prevent the feet E E fromdragging on the ground when the device is being used, there is provideda stop, B

whioh rests upon the cross-bar A and thus arrests the downward movementof the bar. If preferred, the stop B may consist of a screw made to passthrough the outer end of bar A and come in contact with the sliding barB, and

vthus said sliding bar may be adjusted in any desired position. I

At the center of bar A there is journaled one or more wheels, the upperportion of which, as above described, passes through a slot in said barwhen only one wheel is used but when two are preferred, one of them maybe so placed upon the axle as to be upon one side of said bar and theother upon its opposite side.

In making provision for the reception of baskets or other packages, abox, 0, is provided, which is of such length as to admit of itsbein gplaced between the posts A A, and may be of any desired width andlength.- This box is made to rest upon springs D D, of any desired form-spir'al being preferredwl1icl1 are secured to the upper surface of barA the packages containing glass or other like material without danger oftheir being broken.

I do not desire to be understood as confining myself to any particular"construction of the parts constituting the device herein described, asit is apparent that they may be varied without departing from myinvention. For instance, a basket may be substituted for the box 0, andthe journals of the axle to which the wheel or wheels are secured mayrest in boxes or jaws attached to the bottom or sides of the basket, inwhich case the general features of the invention would remain the sameas those shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vehicle for transporting market-baskets and other packages byhand, the combination of one or more wheels, a vertical framework havinghandles attached thereto, a re ceptacle for containing packages to bemoved, and adjustable feet for retaining the structure in a properposition when not in use, all substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination of the adjustable bar 13, having feet 13 B, and theframework of a package-carrier, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

O. A. HARPER.

Witnesses:

- L. H. RONAN,

LAWRENCE GARAHAN.

